Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I invite you to reflect on your ruling after question time. A ruling that suggests an entire question is out of order is a very broad ruling. Does it go to the supplementary to the first question, which those opposite also claimed was outside the minister's portfolio area? In fact, if any of those opposite chose to listen to the question, they would find it was entirely within his portfolio responsibilities. To suggest that the minister only has to answer parts of the question that he feels are inside his portfolio is, at times, a very reasonable ruling and it has been used on all sides of the debate. But to actually rule something completely out of order is something that I would invite you to consider after question time.